Young Justice: Emerald Life and Amber Death
by DJ Comicbook
Summary: Young Justice meets a 'new' member and faces and 'old' enemy, their worst ever. New blood won't be enough to deal with him since just the thought of him puts the entire team off balance. Very Angsty, chapter 4 (I think), keep reviewing= more chapters.
1. Enter Emerald

Author: DJ Comicbook Knux00@hotmail.com  
  
Title: EMERALD  
  
Of course: All this stuff belongs to DC Comics, don't sell it cuz it's not yours. just email me if you're gonna repost it.  
  
Setting: non-continuous YJ (Robin, Impulse, Superboy, Wondergirl [leader], Secret, Arrowette, Empress, Lagoonboy, Slo-Bo, The Ray, Supercycle.)  
  
Summary: Introduction of a new character, Emerald, who is, well, a GL to be short.  
  
Intro  
  
Steelworks... 10:30 Sunday morning...  
  
Emil Hamilton runs out the door, late to collect some contracted item for his latest research project. Pat Dougan is waiting outside in Steelworks' Van, having pulled around from the secure garage while Hamilton ran in to retreive his wallet or some such small item. Emil passes a man in a dark green jacket and black jeans walking towards their front door. It's not someone Emil is used to seeing in Metropolis but he is able to recognize readily. The man is all over the news as the newest member of the Justice League of America nowadays.  
  
Hamilton raises his eyebrows as he stops for a moment.  
  
The tall dark stranger nods and speaks slowly with a high level of strength and confidence. Superheroes tend to do that. "I'm looking for John Henry Irons. It is very important that I speak to him this morning."  
  
Emil Hamilton, a world renoun scientist is not daunted by dealing with supertypes to any real degree, but it's just not everyday that someone comes to visit Steelworks uninvited.  
  
"He's inside... you have an appointment..."  
  
The hero smiles. "Not yet."  
  
Hamiton glances toward the van as Pat Dougan, also known as S.T.R.I.P.E.S of Stars and Stripes fame honks the horn. "C'mon, Emil! These guys aren't trying to spend their sunday morning in a warehouse!"  
  
Hamilton nods towards the door. "I'll let him know you're coming, but he's on his way out I think..." Hamilton nods again to the hero as he scuffles down to the van mumbling about not enough employees and Star Labs not sending him to pick up convereters and so forth....  
  
Inside, John Irons is sitting by the breakfast bar in the more domestic looking part of steelworks, cultivated from many many late nights in the facility. He finished and pulled his tie back from around his neck, where it was placed to keep from soiling. He grabed his suit jacket and his orange juice and picked up a newspaper, glancing towards Natasha.  
  
Natasha Irons, his neice is nearby, using a program to create a simulation of a new technology's function. John Irons once fought beside Superman as Steel until an encounter with the Aegis, Imperirex of Our Worlds at War fame's suit left him with a severely impaired immune and recovery ability, far below the level needed to deal with the stress of heroism. Natasha felt ready but an overprotective uncle was hesitant to let his baby girl go out and deal with the likes of Doomsday and Braniac. The new techonolgoy on hand was a suit she used once to help the Kryptonian Army, which was actually Superman, Superboy, Eradicator, Krypto and Two Supergirls, defeat Darkseid to rescue John. The book is out now, go read it. This same suit was suffering major function failure if in use for more than 30 minutes. Far too short to save the world on a typical superhero mission.  
  
"Unc... Dr. Hamilton just IMed you... he says someone's at the..."  
  
Bleepbleepbleep  
  
"...door." She looked up and flicked on the monitor.  
  
John just smiled as he recognized the visitor. "Let him in... and go get changed... we need to get going soon..." Natasha sighed and snapped the monitor she was working on off as she headed back to her room to change for their 11:00 appointment.  
  
John Irons stood up and greeted a good acquaintance of his. Someone whom he hadn't talked to in quite a while, but the two held a special respect for each other.  
  
"John..." the hero smiled as they firmly shook hands.  
  
"John..." Irons smiled as he shook hands with the Green Lantern, out of costume of course. "I've been hearing good things about you..."  
  
John Stewart nodded and smiled as he glanced over the visible parts of Steelworks... "And I'm seeing good things about you."  
  
The two just stared at each other for a while, grinning.  
  
"C'mon, Stewart, sit down, talk to me man, what brings you to this little shop of mine... Coffee?"  
  
"No... I'm good... I'm great actually... It's like for a moment I'm on top of the world..." Stewart grinned in spite of himself.  
  
"Just don't forget where you've come from..."  
  
Stewart nodded again, as he took the orange juice that Irons had absent mindedly gotten for him. "Definitely. Got to."  
  
John Irons sat down and looked over the paper one more time, sitting on a stool as did John Stewart by the breakfast bar there. Irons leaned on the counter. "What can I do for ya?"  
  
Stewart stopped grinning and sobered up for a minute... "I've been meeting with the Justice League all week... they talk about a lot of things, a lot of accultration things... get used to teleporting up to the Watchtower I suppose..."  
  
Irons nodded as Stewart continued...  
  
"The other day we talked about the future... about the heroes of tommorrow, they spoke about the Titans and Young Justice espeically, and a few independents... like Star Spangled Kid... she's here at Steelworks, as well, yes?"  
  
Irons nodded. "Yes... I believe she's out with the JSA now..."  
  
Stewart smirked... "Right... well... I've spoken with Green Lantern Prime..."  
  
"Rayner?"  
  
Stewart laughed... "Yeah, the kid... I've also had a long talk with Superman..."  
  
Irons nodded... then stopped. He knew where this was going all of a sudden.  
  
"I asked for suggestions for an apprentice... someone who would carry on the legacy that I leave when I'm done... Kyle doesn't need to yet, he's still young, but me... I'm not gonna be around forever... I'm not planning on being absorbed into my ring..." Stewart chuckles for a second. "I also know of a young lady, by way of Superman, who wants nothing more than to be a superhero like her Unlce."  
  
Irons stood up and began pacing. He could barely believe they would do this to him... how dare they put his neice in danger, willingly... two people short of a conspiracy!  
  
Stewart keeps pushing it. "I know you're concerned John, you don't know if your technology is good enough to keep her safe because it doesn't make her nigh-invincible... and you can't be out there to teach her. You trust Superman but you know he's got divided interests."  
  
Irons turns and glares at Stewart. "You have some nerve, you know that? Do you know what you're asking me to do?"  
  
"John..." Stewart looks around for a moment. "We've recommended her to Young Justice... and I think the JLA has just a little pull with their kiddie conterparts... I will personally train her and teach her... she will have one of the most powerful weapons in the universe..." Stewart laughs just a bit... "She can make a Steel suit in a moment..."  
  
Irons let his thoughts escape... "She has the creativity..."  
  
Stewart nods. "And, if she actually did get herself to Apokolips and last more than 10 seconds against Doomsday, she has the Willpower."  
  
Irons nods and turns to face Stewart. Just then a far door slides open and Natasha, in a black church dress comes walking out. She looks at the two men and raises her eyebrows... then starts to blush as she recognizes the visitor. She very lightheaded heads over two her uncle, almost wanting to hide behind him.  
  
"Natasha, this is John..."  
  
"Stewart... Green Lantern of Earth, newest member of the Justice League ex- millitary founder of Shining Light Architectural Firm... I..." Natasha stared up wide eyed, after that she fell kinda speechless.  
  
Stewart looked over at Irons and almost laughed. He smiled down at Natasha.  
  
"And you are Natasha Irons, yes?"  
  
She nodded daftly. Still star-shocked.  
  
"I heard you did great things on Apokolips with some good technology you helped develop."  
  
She nodded again, then blushed as she began to come out of it. "Wow... uh... yeah... I mean... yeah..." She started to hate herself for being so socially crippled at the sight of the latest greatest... 'pull yourself together girl'  
  
John Irons began to grin too, surely this would be great ammunition for their next round of teasing. He looked at his watch for a moment, realizing they were a little behind schedule.  
  
"Mr. Stewart has something to give you."  
  
Natasha looked up at her uncle quizzically for a moment then back at Stewart.  
  
Stewart held out his hand and opened it. In his palm was a Green Lantern Ring.  
  
"AIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" 


	2. Enter Amber

Author: DJ Comicbook Knux00@hotmail.com  
  
Title: EMERALD  
  
Of course: All this stuff belongs to DC Comics, don't sell it cuz it's not yours. just email me if you're gonna repost it.  
  
Setting: non-continuous YJ (Robin, Impulse, Superboy, Wondergirl [leader], Secret, Arrowette, Empress, Lagoonboy, Slo-Bo, The Ray, Supercycle.)  
  
Summary: Introduction of a new character, Emerald, who is, well, a GL to be short.  
  
Young Justice Headquarters @ Happy Harbor, RI.  
  
Emergency is an understatement.  
  
"Superboy. get Robin. ASAP. I'm putting in a call to Impulse. he should be."  
  
"Cassie." Robin stood in the doorway of the monitor room of Young Justice headquarters.  
  
Wondergirl's eyes lit up. "Robin, thank goodness. you will not believe what just happened."  
  
"If it doesn't involve Superboy and girls, Impulse and strange objects or Lobo and. well. anything, it cant be. that." Robin was glanced at the monitor. He fell silent for a moment. "bad. very bad."  
  
Before them lay three angles on the outside of the compound. A yellow sword stood there planted firmly in the ground, in the concrete. One camera was zoomed in to the object's blade. The Yellow was uncanny, but the message seemed scrawled in metal regardless. The Message: 'Harm has returned.'  
  
Robin nodded. "Superboy?"  
  
"Metropolis on his way." Wondergirl looked at the next monitor. "Impulse should be on is way. I've warned Suzie she's with Cissie for some reason."  
  
"He warned us. why?"  
  
"He's cocky as all get out, Rob, it's natural. unless of course he's learned something from last time and is throwing us of now."  
  
Robin just nodded.  
  
"By Hera! He always does this to us. always second guessing ourselves." "You're not up on your Green Lantern are you?" Robin stared at the Monitor more.  
  
Impulse skidded to a stop just behind Robin, allowing his cape to sway just a bit with the minimal wind Bart produced out of haste.  
  
"Oh." Impulse nodded knowingly. "ThatsAQwardianPowerRingThatStealsEnergyFromGreenLanternRingsAndUsesItAgains tThemAndHasNoWeaknessesAndSinsestroHadOneAndNeroHadOneAndThereWasABigSpaceBa ttleAnd."  
  
Wondergirl looked at Robin quizzically. "He's serious?"  
  
"Don't worry, Sinstro and Nero are both quite dead. I just looked up major supercriminals' locations this morning." Robin looked to the side. "But if Harm has an ally like that."  
  
"Or has a ring of his own." Wondergirl looked over at Robin.  
  
"We're going to be in for a very rough time. let's check on the others. lock down this place."  
  
ELSEWHERE  
  
"Kon-El. you can't be serious." Anita Madd stood next to Slo-Bo as Kon-El, the world's Superboy stood by a carnival bell and hammer set up.  
  
"Frag it kid." Slo-Bo urged him on.  
  
"Kon-El is taking this man's money." Anita protested. "And Who is he gonna give the stupid bear to anyway?"  
  
Kon-El smirked as he rubbed his ands and picked up the hammer. "Cissie. of course."  
  
The fourth member of their little party blushed. "Kon. you don't have to."  
  
Originally Snapper and Traya had been with them, but Traya had eventually remembered she was 11 and not 14 and wanted to go to something that did not involve guys trying to win teddy bears. After all rollercoasters lost a little pizzazz when you can fly under your own power (but not much).  
  
Kon was steady trying to flirt with Arrowette cuz. well. she was the only one there to flirt with. "Alright. you wanna try?" He looked to her expectantly.  
  
She raised her eyebrows and giggled. "Okay. sure." Her old confidence blasted to the forefront as she grabbed the hammer. Her tongue sticking out with concentration she lined up the hammer as Superboy put a hand lightly on her shoulder.  
  
"Go for it."  
  
Cissie slammed down on the pad and the spring launhed the metal 50 feet straight up and clanged the bell defiantly. Superboy grinned ridiculously as the attendant, fake smile and all handed Kon the big bear he had picked out. Kon handed it to Cissie.  
  
Anita shook her head. "What would Cassie say."  
  
Kon eyed her evilly for a split second.  
  
Slo-Bo chuckled. "Or the Speedfreak. Heh. only one Top-Teen, superlad."  
  
Kon started to prorest "That's. nevermind." he let it go.  
  
Cissie just rolled her eyes sarcastically. "I um. gotta go to the little ladies room. can you guys."  
  
"Yeah, we'll be right there at Burger Bell." Kon grinned taking her bear and stuff.  
  
"So, Kon." Slo-Bo grinned. "How much TK did you use?"  
  
Anita grinned, glad the 'slow' one had caught on. "Wow. you're slippin, Kon- Man. even Slo-Bo saw it."  
  
"Whoa!!!! I did not! Cissie did it all by herself." Kon stood up incredulously. they haven't even ordered food yet.  
  
"Ooookay. sure." Anita smirked. almost believing him, but liking the tease. "Want something Lobo?"  
  
"Yea. meat."  
  
Anita grinned a bit and headed off to the nearby stand to get some sandwiches. Superboy stood across the table from Slo-bo, reclining. "Heh. you've got hope yet, superfrail."  
  
"Whatever man." Superboy sighed as he sat down.  
  
Slo-Bo grinned wider and wider. "Y'know. wasn't so long ago that that thing you wear on your chest so often was the bane of my existence."  
  
Kon grimaced a bit. Slo-Bo didn't often reflect on his past life. "I'll bet."  
  
"Yeah. whodda thunk you and I'd be fighting together someday. heh. that'll never last."  
  
Kon-El slowly nodded. "Well we all have our little secrets and surprises."  
  
Slo-Bo almost busted out laughing. "Ha! You couldn't intimidate a pack of blind mice! You think you can."  
  
"Bo!" Anita called from about fifteen feet away. "Stop acting like a."  
  
WOOOSSHHHH!!!  
  
Gone. Anita was gone in a jet fast blur and the tray she was holding seemed to hover in the air for a moment as it grabbed momentum from it's sudden lack of support. Superboy and Slo-Bo with the slightly increased perceptions were shocked but on their feet in alarm with a fraction of a second. The managed to break the table their were at with a burst of their strength.  
  
That next moment a new figure blurred into focus, as if having just returned from dropping something off and caught the tray in the air. He grinned. He was a speedster. He was their age. He was wearing black and green. Inertia himself.  
  
"You gotta be kidding." Superboy said in shock.  
  
Slo-Bo only flinched for a moment. "Where's Nita. bastich, you get two seconds."  
  
Inertia shook his head. "Wow. ignorance abounds.... I need but one to kick your sorry Czarnian tail. and the name is Inertia, bubba."  
  
Slo-Bo lunges forwards and whirls his chain from around his waist, he swings and connects with the tray minus one strawberry shake. Inertia is leaning against a garbage can, sipping the shake calmly. He glances at his hand. It possesses a yellow ring.  
  
"I heard my brother can make duplicates of himself, now."  
  
Slo-Bo and Superboy narrow their eyes. "Bring it." Superboy whispers.  
  
Inertia's head jerks towards him. "Very well then."  
  
The ring produces nothing less than six yellow Inertias that encircle Superboy and Slo-Bo. back to back they face their attackers. Slo-Bo is facing Inertia as the clones close in.  
  
Slo-Bo waxes philosophical, at least as much as he can, again.  
  
"The future Superman and the former Lobo back to back." He grins. Superboy lets out an audible and relieved sigh. "Heh. sucks for you."  
  
Slo-Bo's not really slow, not really. but the man posing as Superboy had the element of surprise. Reaching behind him and grabbing Slo-Bo's head is so easy. Slo-Bo is just catching on as he is yanked over the Superboy's head and slammed, chest and face first into the cold hard concrete.  
  
Match leaps backwards as the Inertia clones clobber Slo-Bo into submission. Inertia stands next to him silently.  
  
"You talk to much, munchkin." Match turns to walk away.  
  
"Perhaps you should consider expanding your vocabulary, learning to enjoy the English language."  
  
"You wanna enjoy my fist up your."  
  
"My my. a little vulgar for a two year old clone. if that." Inertia grins as his duplicates endlessly pound the last Czarnian.  
  
"Look who's talking."  
  
"I'm like. negative 400 man, get over it."  
  
Inertia and Match smirk in spite of each other and collect the superspeed beaten body of Slo-Bo. "Let's contain this thing. I need to change out of this man's horrible duds. go and grab that arrow girl for me. the boss boy wants her unharmed. and well. yeah."  
  
Intertia's after image smirks.  
  
ELSEWHERE.  
  
The actual Superboy arrives in the conference room. He is instantly confronted by Robin. "Kon. were you or were you not with Snapper and Traya and the gang today?"  
  
Superboy makes a lost face. "Huh? Is that what this is about?"  
  
"Great. just great." Robin broods. "You tell him Wondy. I'm calling in help." 


	3. Enter Death

Author: DJ Comicbook Knux00@hotmail.com  
  
Title: EMERALD  
  
Of course: All this stuff belongs to DC Comics, don't sell it cuz it's not yours. just email me if you're gonna repost it.  
  
Setting: non-continuous YJ (Robin, Impulse, Superboy, Wondergirl [leader], Secret, Arrowette, Empress, Lagoonboy, Slo-Bo, The Ray, Supercycle.)  
  
Summary: Introduction of a new character, Emerald, who is, well, a GL to be short.  
  
Recap: Natasha Irons has a GL ring, Arrowette, Slo-Bo and Empress have been captured by Match and Inertia.  
  
Happy Harbor YJ Headquarters.  
  
Superboy nods understandingly. "So we kick Harm's butt again. no prob."  
  
Wondergirl just shook her head, her explanation didn't seem to be enough.  
  
Impulse fidgets nervously. "TrapsWeaknessesIntelligenceInvincibilityLotsofplanningAndStuffMakeItRealHar dKonIMeanItsNotLike."  
  
Robin glanced towards Impulse. "Less Words. Slower."  
  
"Whoa." Superboy caught the tone. "Robin, you and Wondy are totally uptight. you guys can't even think straight."  
  
Wondergirl and Robin glanced at each other.  
  
"So what should happen, Kon. you tell us how to beat Harm."  
  
Kon grimaced. "Blind luck. It worked last time. Hey! No way. I'm not gonna let this sunnova turn me into a little broodling like you guys. that's as bad as getting beat in a fight."  
  
Robin looked at Wondergirl again. Wondergirl looked at Superboy. "That is brilliant Kon. so what do we do?"  
  
Superboy laughed. "What we always do. Rob broods, Cassie leads out. don't put this on me, man!" Wondergirl nods and takes a deep breath. "Rob?"  
  
"I can handle it." Standard Bat-answer.  
  
Wondergirl turned towards the monitor. Good. We need. Lagoonboy.  
  
"Ooooohhh! I'll get him!!!!" Impulse was off in moments.  
  
"Get the Ray. Keep Secret out of this."  
  
Robin checked her. "Don't you think he'd expect us to try and protect her."  
  
"But he expects us to fail. I refuse. I have a gut feeling he's going to try and use her against us somehow." Wondergirl's brain churns on itself and she holds her head.  
  
Superboy is leans against the wall. "Easy Cass. we got this kid before. he's outnumbered and outpowered, all he has is surprise and suspense. if you ignore the stress he loses almost all his advantage."  
  
He looks to Robin.  
  
Robin nods. "True. how'd you grow up so fast. unless of course you're."  
  
They both look at each other.  
  
"Match."  
  
Robin considers suspsecting Superboy but it would better explain who it was that went with Traya and Snapper and the others that morning.  
  
"Match is in with Harm." Superboy leaps to the conclusion is a single bound....  
  
"Could be." Robin cautions. too many brains working to hard. he thought he left this kind of drama in the batcave. "Could be something else. could be a ring construct. mental powers. almost anything."  
  
The Alarms sound and new images appear on the monitors.  
  
"Hey. YJ. this is the RAY! I'm dealing with some serious next level stuff here!!!!"  
  
Superboy, Wondergirl and Robin look back and forth between each other.  
  
Wondergirl speaks. "Come on with it."  
  
"There's a speedster making duplicates out here just like Impulse and."  
  
static.  
  
Robin whistled for a supercycle.  
  
Superboy was about to speak as he hopped on, right after Wondergirl. "Trap anyone?"  
  
"Three." Wondergirl smirked. "to go."  
  
ELSEWHERE. on a starkly different beach. sunbathers eyes the heroic pair suspiciously.  
  
"So." Lagoonboy croaks. "You guys think this Harm guy is after you."  
  
Impulse nods frantically. "Wondergirl wants you to help us."  
  
"Well." He looks around, and back at his beloved ocean. "I guess I'm free."  
  
Impulse grinned. "Welcome aboard Impulse express." he said as he extended his hand.  
  
ELSEWHERE. somewhere in a clearing in the Midwest.  
  
The Supercycle screeched to a halt at the edge of a forest clearing. A still smoking Ray lay there near the middle.  
  
Superboy and Wondergirl stepped off. Robin stayed on.  
  
"This could suck royally, Cassie." Superboy acknowledged as they walked towards the Ray scanning the area, with Superboy in the lead.  
  
Cassie nodded looking to the side. "At least Impulse is headed back to the cave with Lagoonboy."  
  
Wondergirl chuckles. "No matter what happens. I promise I will never scream. "Superboy. look out!!!" and stand there like a dunce."  
  
"Gotcha. and likewise for 'cassie. nooooo!."  
  
A few tense moments later they stoop over Ray's fallen form. Flipping him over they find his eyes closed and his skin pale. Cassie checks his breathing. he is still alive.  
  
"He didn't kill him." Wondergirl looks up at him.  
  
"That's because I can't." A dark figure strode from the forest confidently. Bristling in a new yellow costume.  
  
"Harm." Robin whispered to himself.  
  
"Don't looked so shocked kids. you did come here to find me didn't you?"  
  
Superboy narrowed his eyes. "What's your angle, Harm."  
  
Harm grins. "I'm the next Alexander the Great, and you're Persian and Egypt. I mean. what's a man to do?"  
  
"You know we can't let you get away with whatever you're going for. we are willing to die."  
  
Harm narrows his eyes. ". to prevent me from killing you. amazing. You're the leader now? Heh. that's cute."  
  
He looks around for a moment. He leans towards her and whispers sideways. "Equal opportunity employment actually does work then, doesn't it?"  
  
Wondergirl lunges forwards but Kon holds her back.  
  
Harm narrows his eyes. "Wow. I even sobered up the idiot who wants to grow up to r his undies on the outside. And the girl who wants to grow up to just wear her undies. I'm good."  
  
"Spit it Harm."  
  
Harm spun to see Robin behind him. He hadn't even caught sight of the man leaving the cycle.  
  
Harm laughed at his meager predicament. "I'm going to kill you all. It's really simple. If you survive you win, if you don't, I win."  
  
"Inertia. Match." Robin speaks deadpan.  
  
Harm smirks and turns around completely to face Robin. "What of them?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"You think they work for me? That would be ultimate Cheese. The Young Injustice. heh. you wish I thought that much of you fools."  
  
He paused for a moment.  
  
"Well lets see. you've got options. you can turn the Supercycle over to me and perhaps I can spare one of your lives. Lets see."  
  
"Garbage, Harm, where do you get off." Cassie fumed. All three were hesitant to clobber him unless they could survive. and he purposely kept his cloak over his arm so no one could see if he had a ring or not.  
  
Harm laughed and looked over his shoulder at Wondergirl and Superboy again. "I'm trying to help you out here."  
  
"Hera, so help me."  
  
Harm chuckled. "C'mon Robin. offer me something for your lives. what would you want if you were me."  
  
"I don't think that way."  
  
Harm laughed. "You're not BATMAN, okay? Come off it. you know what you have. and you know how it could be abused."  
  
Robin stood there for a few moments. A breeze passed through his cloak and passed over Harm's cloak, revealing a ringless right hand.  
  
"I'd want."  
  
Wondergirl looked at Robin horrified.  
  
Robin continued. "The supercycle. definitely. the information on the YJ computer about Titans, Young Justice and the Watchtower. access to the mythical batcave. SID's all around. "  
  
"Good. good start. that's what I need. but what do I WANT."  
  
Harm smirked.  
  
Superboy watched the Ray fade away into nothing. he whispered to himself. 'yellow ring.'  
  
Robin narrowed his pupiless eyes. "The Headquarters. our base."  
  
Harm laughed. "Exactly." he grinned a broad evil grin as with his righ arm he drew a yellow sword from it's sheath, his cloak still draped over his other arm and such. "Now lets fight."  
  
Robin looked at Superboy and whistled for the Cycle. "YJ HQ do you read me!!!! Impulse, Come in! Lagoonboy! Someone!"  
  
Harm just cackled as the three loaded up. "It gets sweeter every time!!!!!" 


	4. Enter Life for now

Author: DJ Comicbook Knux00@hotmail.com  
  
Title: EMERALD  
  
Of course: All this stuff belongs to DC Comics, don't sell it cuz it's not yours. just email me if you're gonna repost it.  
  
Setting: non-continuous YJ (Robin, Impulse, Superboy, Wondergirl [leader], Secret, Arrowette, Empress, Lagoonboy, Slo-Bo, The Ray, Supercycle.)  
  
Summary: Introduction of a new character, Emerald, who is, well, a GL to be short.   
  
Previously: Natasha Irons has a GL ring, The Ray, Arrowette, Slo-Bo and Empress have all been captured (or worse!) at the hands of Harm or Match and Inertia...  
  
John Stewart soared through the air... the Green Lantern core was beginning to be re-established. Yes, techinically he was "a GL" and not "the GL" and Jade was Jade and Kyle was 'Earth's Last Green Lantern' but the truth be told there were 5 different humans using that Oan Power Battery. John soared alongside the latest, Emerald.   
"Natasha... speed up... this is not a practice session..." Looking back over his shoulder, the green trail behind him caught up. She was clearly working to go this fast...   
"Can't I just make a jet..." she asked, straining to keep speed with the experienced warrior.   
Stewart nodded... "A jet is not an exercise in willpower... it's..."   
"... an exercise in creativity... " Emerald finished... "I know... how far are we?"   
Stewart nodded and sped up... "We're here... strange... this is where Young Justice is... hmm... there it is... just follow my lead..." Rocketing into Happy Harbor, Emerald landed in front of the building GL Stewart had just flown into... with a few flashes Emerald had created for herself some anti-grav boots and a pair of high-quality energy blasters with mounted search lights as she leapt into the building.... following Stewart's signal upstairs she came into a room, a flat, a one room apartment... on the dresser was an emerald battery not unlike the one Natasha had recently recieved. This one, unfortunately was yellow.   
Stewart stood there, stunned for a moment. Battling Sinestro had been rough enough, but he didn't have a battery per se, he relied on a GL's energy to take from... now he, or one like him, possessed this level of power without bounds or weakness. Stewart just pointed his ring at the thing... and blasted it... against his better judgement. It simply absorbed the GL's energies and glowed green for a moment before it faded to a yellow glow, then the glow subsided once more.   
He looked at Natasha... "Get out of here... go to the YJ HQ and tell them the kind of bad guy they have in their town... stay there til I come for you..."   
"Sinestro's dead, though, right?" Emerald pressed... "This is just some newcomer with their ring, that's all, right? Just take their battery and hide it from them... they'll run low eventually..."   
"Get out, Emerald... now..." Stewart's tone was so brusque that Emerald complied, heading for the bay and the small mountain that once housed the Justice League.   
  
ELSEWHERE   
Happy Harbor YJ Headquarters   
Impulse and Lagoonboy flit into YJ headquarters and stop in the monitor room... also the movie room on Saturday nights when it was slow in Metropolis or Manchester or Central City or wherever.   
"Wow... you guys've really come up..."   
"With the Jones', Kermit, with the Jones' " Impulse cheesed  
Lagoonboy... "The... who are the jones'... wait no! Kermit? Like the frog?"   
"Yeah, Kermit's the man! He's got girls chasing him, his own show... and that fresh single!" Impulse beamed broadly... kids stuff... but at Superspeed I suppose you take in all the kids stuff there is... a confused look from Lagoonboy clinched it... "It's not easy being green!"   
Lagoonboy rolled his eyes and popped up the locator screen... almost instinctively from fixing so many run-down high-end systems... (you'd be surprised how many get dumped in the Marianas)   
"You can say that again... how do I get Robin and Sueprboy?"   
"No need, LGB, we're here..." Behind them, Superboy, Robin and Wondergirl stood in the doorway, with the speaker, SB in the middle and Robin barely visible in the shadows...   
"Great! You're here... but... where's Ray?" Wondergirl pursed her lips as Superboy all but ignored the question and patched up the comms trying to find everyone...   
Wondergirl sat down at the holodisplay table for a second... "Ray... I don't know... I don't know where the Ray is..."   
"Whoa... well where do I start to l..."   
"I don't KNOW, okay, Impulse... are you HAPPY? I DON'T FRAGGIN KNOW!"   
"Cassie... " Kon-El puts an arm on her shoulder... "Relax, Impulse is trying to help... sit down in the conference room for a minute while Rob and I dig up some real info, kay?"   
Cassie closed her eyes for a moment, and wordlessly, left the room. Superboy looked at Impulse... "Bart... we don't know where Ray, Cisse, Empress, or Slo-Bo are... we're so in the dark it's scary..."   
Just then... all of the lights in the place went out. Superboy spun to the monitor area as the emergency lights came up, but Robin had lost all of his tracking efforts til that point...   
Superboy yelled... "I though we had checked all the choke points for entry! You said there were no traps!"   
Robin narrowed his eyes. "There weren't. Impulse..." Impulse looked towards Robin as five duplicates scattered off in different directions...   
"Good... Lagoonboy... I want you to check all the ducts... you should have superior sense from underwater living and ability to manage tight spaces..." Robin tossed him a hands free communicator... "If you see anything scream... at least we'll know something happened to you in there... Lagoonboy nods as he leaps to the wall, pulls off the ventilation vent and scrambles in... Robin looked to the conference room. "Too easy..."   
Robin walked towards there and the door opened. There was Wondergirl, bound and gagged to the leader's chair and above and behind her was a new and improved Anarky. All in black with a golden mask he was the epitome of what happens when the wrong person gets the wrong weapon. The mask grinned a bit as Robin walked in to the room, lit only by the shackles that held a still concious Cassie Sandsmark.   
"Robin, the Boy Wonder, the Suburban Legend, partner to the one and only Batman..."   
Robin narrowed his eyes... "What puts you in this game, Machin... are you still so put out by being put out of town... faking your own death, do you know wha your parents would give to..."   
"Put it to rest, Rob... I don't think any more human than your mentor... I'm here because this is a way to upset the system..."   
Rob almost raises an eyebrow... "Creating a new more evil one... right... that 500 IQ is overrated... I thought you were one of us..."   
"You thought wrong... I've never been afraid of ruffling up the presidents feathers, especially a known super-criminal like Luthor, but you are weak, and too constrained to the status quo... don't you get it man? We can free the world..."   
"With power rings and undead supervillians... right..." Robin turned away slightly in disgust, but unwilling to take his eyes off of Anarky, a little alarmed at Robin's sudden change of stance.   
"I can handle Harm, Robin... this is something you'd love to do..." Anarky hadn't moved his whole time...   
"Never..." Robin began suspecting something about the situation at hand,   
"NEVER say Never, Robin... we're pages from the same book, can't you see... I NEED you on this one... I can outsmart Harm, but this one, all the other kids won't cooperate unless she knows you can vouch for my motives..."   
Robin stopped for a moment.   
Cassie narrowed her eyes at him, looking daggers through his skull.   
Robin snapped out his hand from his belt and tossed a batarang directly to his right and it landed inches from the man 'behind the curtain'... Lonnie Machin, once Anarky, now possessing a yellow power ring. Lonnie's costume changed from shadow mixing black to a black and yellow kiddie version of Anarky's costume... without the mask.   
"Good one... you always were observant..."   
"What's the real deal Lonnie..." Robin turned only slightly from Wonder Girl and the fake Anarky construct.   
"Told you already... We..." Lonnie glanced down at his ring which began to glow softly...   
"Hmmm... duty calls..." The entire room went dark again... Robin, with starlite lenses saw Lonnie clearly as he floated himself right out of the room, and chased him down to see the meta-waste line that had been abandoned since the League's second induction. Robin could do nothing about it... it was a ring... Anarky had a ring... that was dangerous to say the least... but he wasn't the only one. Harm, Inertia and maybe Match. This was looking bad... why had Harm acted like he had taken their headquarters... what was missing, Robin wondered...  
The lights came back up as one of the scouts returned to Impulse... Robin was about to walk out but then turned back to Cassie... "You okay, Wondy?"   
Wondergirl stood up and walked the length of the table up to Robin wordlessly. She looked him in the eye. "How do you keep from sending them all to Hades with gasoline shorts on?"   
Robin nodded. "Because one day... a long time ago, someone gave an orphan, a statistical nightmare, a chance to do something good... and that orphan took in another, and that one another and eventually those little kids that want nothing more than to be held in their mothers arms managed to save the world... 14 times and counting." Robin wordlessly turned towards the door... "And somewhere... someone saw a little girl who wanted to help and couldn't and gave them the ability to... stuff like that lets me know my own personal vendettas and agendas aren't really all that important." Robin almost smirked. "And a lot of target practice helps..."   
Robin headed out to the main room and resumed his search for his teammates... tracers, sattelite feeds, cell phones, anything to find any of them.   
Wondergirl walked out next. "Impulse... what's up..." Impulse paused for a moment as his mind came to him... he tightened his fists... "Inertia..."   
"What's he doing?" Wondergirl leaned forward and Impulse shook his head... "I Didn't see... too many duplicates..."   
Superboy folded his arms. "Were crippled... only Impulse can do anything about this joker..."   
Impulse nodded... "He's good... he's really good... I may not... he's got a ring?"   
Wonder Girl looked right in Impulse's eyes... "You can do ANYthing Bart... I believe in you, man, you're like my Hermes..."   
Impulses eyes got big. "I don't know if I wanna me a 'hermes'"   
Wonder Girl shook her head and almost smiled... "I mean you're a hero and you're always on time, Bart... you can do this..."   
Bart nodded, then a big grin burst on his face... then a frown... "He got Cissie..."   
Superboy nodded... "Go get him..."   
Impulse took off at sonic speeds through the corridors, popping out duplicates as they caught sight of duplicates that weren't him... sometimes it was hard to tell since they were all, directly or indirectly, yellow clones of himself.   
Inertia came at him with a yellow sword and Impulse managed to dodge as Inertia blasted at Impulse with the ring. Holding the beam as a solid blast Inertia raked it across the underbelly of the HQ as Impulse ducked behind a pylon to create a split a second gap in the beam which he could slip through.   
He let loose a combo on inertia which was blocked by a yellow shield surrounding the supergenious criminal speedster mastermind.   
"Bart... you can't be serious? You've just been outclassed... out gunned... outMANned..." A yellow arm sprouted from the shield to reverse one of Impulse's strikes... "give it up, brother..."   
Impulse, now on the ground for only a fraction of a fraction of a moment, was grabbed by a small entourage of yellow Intertias... "My will power is massive... and my networking skills... " he kisses the ring "are top notch..." He leans over in the subdued, struggling Impulse's face... "You my friend... have rejects from the Osbournes as teammates... thanks for visiting my world, bro... you've just worn out your welcome."   
With such a line, Inertia's ring blazed brightly as if he were to finish the young speedster off... unfortunately Inertia had not decided to conduct their conversation at superspeed, but rather, savor his decided victory... keeping an eye on the pathing from upstairs so that no YJers could sneak down... even Robin would trip the minute yellow tripwire that sprawled every crack shadow and crevice. As the massive yellow hammer of judgement descended on Impulse it met with a solid green shell, a set peice of curving solid, set on the ground in the midst of the yellow inertias that, with little damage, held fast, saving impulse's life.   
Inertia had spun around already to see Emerald there, her ring extended as she had just formed the thing in her mind and blocked the move. In her mind the 'impulse' if you will, was racing up her spine to say 'you did it, girl!' to herself. But by this time in Inertia's mind... that was 3 milliseconds ago... the shock subsided and he turned on her, but got tripped up by Impulses' big feet kicking at him to make him trip up. Inertia was on his feet in nano seconds, but by this time, his distractions had proved too much, Impulses had become freed up and they freed Impulse enough to grab Inertia nigh-negligible time before he slammed into Emerald.   
Impulse slammed Inertia backwards in full WWE style. A crunch was followed by an Inertia super speed spin that kept Inertia on his back but allowed him to kick Impulse in the face before hopping up and slamming his fist into the just now emerald coated body of Natasha Irons.   
Intertia bent over and grabbed his hand in pain, and Impulse was almost on that man when a yellow duplicate popped up from nowhere and uppercut Impulse ruthlessly before sinking back into the fleeing Intertia's ring.   
Emerald saw Impulse falling and creates a mattress for him to land on. A few of his duplicates pop into him and he wakes up very woozy a few moments later.   
UPSTAIRS   
Superboy looks over Robin's shoulder... "Anybody..."   
"Broken comms, scrambled signals... I'm guessing just saying they're all in this hemisphere."   
Superboy frowned... "Wait..." They leaned forward to get a satlellite image of Happy Harbor... and there, superspeed scrawled in their own 'yard' was a messae:   
"Tell them all goodbye...Harm will have his day"   
"Not much of a lyricist, eh?" Superboy looked over at Wonder Girl as she came over...   
"It doesn't make any sense..." Robin nodded... "If I had just one more clue..."   
The door fwooshed open revealing a young african american girl carrying Impulse in her arms. Emerald was the latest greatest green lantern... they had heard of her and were expecting to meet her some time next week, this came as a bit of a surprise.   
"Emerald?" Robin whispered and faded into the shadows at a newcomer's presence.   
Lagoonboy popped from the vent shafts and landed just in front of her, almost snarling, but ready for anything.   
Superboy and Wonder Girl looked at each other... Emerald nodded. "Yeah... and Impulse is hurt..."   
Wonder Girl raised a suspicous brow... "And I'll bet you had nothing to do with it..."   
Emerald's facial expression changed from calm and a bit remorseful to genuinely defensive... "You had better..." she grimaced a bit and placed Impulse on the table. He was still quaking as he regained all his memories...   
Superboy asked with a lot less accusation in his voice. "What happened down there, Natasha..."   
Natasha shook her head sadly... "Too much... and at Superspeed, I'm not even sure what happened, only Impulse knows..."   
"You know, the new girl, Kon?" Wonder Girl asked...   
Superboy nodded as he smiled over at Natasha... "Yeah, Natasha's grade-A hero in my book... she represented Krypton on Apocalypse last month... and that's the only family I got..."   
Robin was now standing directly behind the new Green Lantern... "How did you get in here? There are security procedures, traps..." Emerald jumped a bit and turned to face Robin. He was a bit scary, even though he wasn't qutie as tall as she was... scratch that... he was terrifying, staring at her with those pupil-less eyes his voice all monotone and deep and well, it was Robin, a kid who wasn't really supposed to exist, unless Batman existed, which was always a very scary thought for a newcomer.   
She stuttered for a second... "There was a hole, I noticed it before I swung around to the entrance... I followed it in..."   
"Why were you here... in Rhode Island..." Robin continued... no one stopped him from questioning... Emerald narrowed her eyes, took off her ring and threw it at Robin. He caught it with one well trained hand...   
"I don't need this!" She steamed. "I came by to warn you guys there's a yellow ring bearer in town, save Impulse from some green clone of himself and offer to help you guys and this is what I get? This is what you guys are about?" She looked around at the others... "Well you can take that and stuff it, sister... I've got better things to do that be accused of..."   
As she as speaking, Robin's facial exression changed... if only slightly. He tossed back her ring and she stopped her rant with a little contemplation of his new reaction and slipped her ring back on.   
He nodded to her... "We'll need that... and you..." Was all Robin said before returning to the computer.   
Superboy put a hand on 'Tasha's shoulder, reassuring her... "He means, we need you Tasha, we're just on pins and needles right now... I'm sorry we came at you like this..."   
Meanwhile Lagoonboy wandered up to her and offered his hand a little embarassed, voice uneasy... "I'm Kermit..." Natasha couldn't help but laugh as she took the boy's webbed hand.   
Superboy grinned. "I'm Kon-El, he shook her hand... that's the name Superman gave me..." Natsahsa nodded...   
Cassie offered her hand as well, a little less enthusiastically though... "I'm Cassie... nice t'meeta girl who can handle herself..."   
Emerald nodded with a half smile... "even bettter, a girl who can handle other people..." They all looked towards Robin.   
He nodded. "Robin is fine."   
Superboy nodded... "Don't worry, he's like that sometimes... er... all the time...he opens up once you talk to him." Emerald nodded.   
She turned back towards the table and looked at Impulse. "And this is Bart, huh?" Superboy nodded, but Bart, as if in response, snapped, even zqipped up, sitting on the table eyes wide and leaning forward. "BOMB!!!!"   
There was a deafening explosion in that mountain... most of it crumbled into the sea and just the outskirts of it were left standing, creating a giant crater that was once YJ HQ...   
CHUKA-DOOM resounded through the entirety of the eastern seaboard, Robin later deduced that it had been a sonic bomb set, it's countdown set to be triggered by a speed force spike such as... a battle of two speedsters. If the bomb were discovered it would not matter since the bomb went off when the counter said 1:17 seconds to go.   
In the middle of the hole was rocks, dust and mangled equipment... and a green bubble containing Superboy, Wonder Girl, Robin, Impulse, Lagoonboy and Emerald. After a few moments of after bomb silence, the damage had been done... and a migraine having, battle weary Emerald fell to her knees and fell backwards into Impulse's arms, moaning about throbbing headaches...   
Robin looked over the damage and grimaced. "Anarky, Match and Inertia... anti-types for each of us... and all equipped with yellow power rings..."   
Wonder Girl nodded... "No base, numbers reduced in half... hostages..."   
Superboy... "and he has the advantages of surprise and intimidation..." Superboy looked at his two good friends with scrutiny... "It's time we took one of those away... if you guys say we can't beat Harm, I'll cash in my chips and call it a day, go on vacation til he finds me... but if we can beat this man let's act like it..."   
Robin nodded in agreement, but shook his head a second later. "Why is he so smart?"   
"He's not... he just coordinates a little better... we've grown apart recently... we're becoming too much like our mentors and loosing our strength..."   
Robin spun to Kon-El "Why the heck are you so smart all of a sudden? You're mature, you're controlled... I can barely believe you're you..."   
Superboy stopped. "You don't read any of the Superboy fanfiction do you?"   
Robin stopped stark still. There was an ackward silence. "What???"   
He asked incredulously. "My fans... they write about me... they believe in me... I HAVE to eventually become the big man, so I might as well put my 'own personal agendas' on hold..."   
Robin glared... "How did you know I said that?"   
"The monitors..." Superboy answered, wondering why it was even a question...   
Robin growled... "There's no mics in the conference room... it's supposed to be all confidential."   
"So that's how..." Robin nodded...   
"And now I've got a plan..." Robin smiled as Emerald managed to regain her footing.   
Superboy grinned... "Yes! One down..." he looked to Wonder Girl... "How about you, Wondy... feel ready to lead us to victory?"   
"C'mon, Cassie... any girl that can put the WW has GOT to have something to back it up..." Emerald grinned...   
Impulse began chanting... "Cass-ie, Cass-ie, Cass-ie, Cass-ie!"   
Superboy unfolded his arms and leaned in... "Cass-ie! Cass-ie! Cass-ie!"   
Lagoonboy joined in and Cassie had had enough.   
"That's Enough!" She swung her arms wide as she looked over her crew. "Let's take this joker down... Impulse, Emerald, start rebuilding this mess...   
Robin, Superboy, you guys are going to the Watchtower to inform the Justice League of our predicament.   
Lagoonboy... you and I... we're going on a special trip... everyone got communicators... Robin tossed Emerald his...   
"Yeah..." she laughed  
Wondergirl nodded... "good... let's split..."   
Robin slipped Wonder Girl a paper he had just scribbled up discretely and she took it just as smoothly as he had given it. Impulse,at superspeed saw it, but no one else because the angle and the smoothness and the unexpected nature of the move with the wind and the cave.   
"Oh. and by the way." Wonder Girl told her teammates as she and Lagoonboy walked away. "Harm's Day IS Comng." 


End file.
